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Print washing…
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I’m thinking of getting a rotary print washer and was wondering if anyone uses one? Do prints get scratched at all and is it good for biggish prints?
I think it washes more efficiently and quickly than my current one….any other washer methods/ideas welcome.
M
I’ve never used one but read that they can crease prints occasionally. I’m not sure how accurate that info is though. I print low volumes so just use trays for 16×20 and 20×24 and a slot washer I’ve a long term loan of, for 12x16s.
If money was no object I’d buy Silverprints Archival washer or if I was a commercial printer I’d use an attic water tank fitted with a kit similar to Versalab’s
What do you use at the moment?
A slot washer – by Nova I think for up to 16×12. I have to replace it soon but I thought I’d try something that can stand outside the sink without leaking after five minutes…. We dish wash the 20×16/24’s. Can you tell me who supplies the Silverprint Archival washer?
I just googled and found the Silverprint site and the Nova one too. I just couldn’t remember the names of the makers. It looks like rotary types aren’t an option but at least I can get a bigger slot washer now and a better small one.
Thanks for the post,
MOn that very subject…..do these washers have a water filter system or do you need to get that seperately. The amount of solids found in tap water today is huge and the acceptable level within the EU is also too high for my liking. Certainly in the West of Ireland the amount of solids, lime and contaminates in water would/could, I feel, cause scratching & erosion on paper if the liquid was passing over it quickly enough.
You’re welcome Margaret, good luck with it. BTW If you find Silverprints shipping to here on the expensive side, try arranging Interlink to collect from them yourself.
Gerry, you’re right to worry about particles in your water. You can get the most basic tap filter from Patterson for about ?20. I have a Ametek water filter, its model AM1 and I’ve a 5 Micron cartridge in it. Nova Darkroom sell them, approx STG ?100
Hope that helps
I should mention the Ametek is fitted into the water supply, whereas the Patterson screws onto the tap.
Ditto.
The first thing we do setting up a darkroom is filter the water coming in. We got ours from a specialist plumbing supplier who was based in Summerhill in Dublin at the time, rather than from a photographic supplier*. This is far more important for us in the film process wash than anything else. You’d be amazed at the amount of particles it stops. The water has to be at a controlled pressure for one of the machines too and that piece of kit requires filtered water (I think).M
* unfortunately somethimes the prefix ‘photographic’ adds to the price of an item. And since ours is a high throughput darkroom we tend to have to buy at the top of the range mainly for durability so if we can source something without the prefix, we do.
So true Margaret. I was looking for a thermostatic mixing valve one time and found that a “darkroom thermostatic mixing valve” did actually add zeros to the cost . Much to my regret I decided against.
Margaret wrote:
* unfortunately somethimes the prefix ‘photographic’ adds to the price of an item. And since ours is a high throughput darkroom we tend to have to buy at the top of the range mainly for durability so if we can source something without the prefix, we do.
Agreed, that word “photographic” does have a dirty habit making ordinary things expensive particularly in Ireland.
I just measured the water here just before it enters the filter system and it reads (today) 784ppm. If you let it run for a few minutes that drops to 443ppm…..still vvvery high.
Coming in on this a bit late, but I got a Nova slot washer from John Gunne who sourced it from a company in Cork. Sorry i dont know the name. Have had a few problems with it recently so can’t recommend it. Its fragile and edges are sharp. Silverprint postage is very expensive but may be your best option, it would be nice to get a look at one before you purchase.
Heard of a few photographers designing their own. Long term this might be your best option. Some college might take it on as a mini project in their technology class.
Margaret wrote:
A slot washer – by Nova I think for up to 16×12. I have to replace it soon but I thought I’d try something that can stand outside the sink without leaking after five minutes
If this washer ever becomes surplus to requirements, please contact me, I’d like to buy it.
Fintan
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